Files
Download Full Text (430 KB)
Description
Informal (family) caregivers providing care to loved ones experiencing symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease navigate multiple challenges. Caregivers observe and respond to changes in their loved ones related to physical, emotional and social skills. While providing care to their loved ones, caregivers must be aware of their own needs and the importance of maintaining a balance between the responsibilities of being a caregiver and the responsibilities in other areas of their life. Maintenance of positive emotional and physical health is crucial to providing effective and safe care. Identification of methods to promote the positive health of informal caregivers becomes increasingly important as their loved one demonstrates progression towards the next stage of dementia, changing the amount and type of care required. Each individual caregiver has different needs, routines, values and responsibilities which require a personalized approach and adoption of different coping mechanisms. Identifying individual goals, challenges and interests allows for educational programs, such as “Providing Care to People with Dementia: An Educational Workshop”, to be tailored and modified to fit the need for caregiver education within multiple populations and settings. Inclusion of interactive components and peer support is also beneficial to the learning process and implementation in a caregivers’ daily life. Acknowledgement of the amount of care being provided and experience level of each caregiver ensures that the proper information and guidance is being provided with the goal of increasing the quality of life for both the caregiver and individual receiving care.
Publication Date
Fall 12-9-2021
Publisher
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Keywords
Informal caregivers, dementia, educational workshop
Medical Subject Headings
Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, Caregivers, Programmed Instruction, Occupational Therapy
Disciplines
Occupational Therapy
Recommended Citation
Hardeman, H., Gerardi, S. M., & Frank, E. (2021, December 9). Providing Care to People with Dementia: An Educational workshop. Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2021/23
Comments
Poster presented at the Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium held online at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, December 9-10, 2021.